I just had a call from one of the nurses on the transplant team saying that there is 'some diarrhoea and vomiting' on the Chest Medical Unit (CMU) so it is unlikely that they will admit me for the bronch tomorrow as the risk is too high. I had the winter vomiting Norovirus last year (or was it the year before?) when I was in hospital for a CF chest infection and it was one of the worst experiences of my life - I've never felt so completely knocked out - so am extremely keen not to catch that again, especially with a severely compromised immune system.
So I am to come to clinic and do the nil-by-mouth thing just in case. Jas will make a call depending on the situation on the CMU and how I have been. I said to the nurse that I've been very well for the last couple of weeks, so I am thinking it looks fairly unlikely that I will be bronched. I think the scheduled bronch, if it wasn't for this little bout of rejection and increased steroids, would have been after 3 weeks rather than 2, so maybe Jas will delay the bronch by a week. Unfortunately that means if there were to be anything wrong in a week's time it would be that much more likely that I'd be confined to hospital over Christmas.
I guess I am severely counting chickens and should just wait and see what happens tomorrow.
The other bit of news that I haven't yet reported on the blog is the great improvement in my voice. After starting the higher dose of steroids it started coming back and after a couple of days the speaking voice was almost normal. Now I can speak completely fine and almost sing - the range is pretty much there, just the tone leaves something to be desired. I wonder if the anti-inflammatory effects of the steroids helped kick the vocal chords back into action, or whether it was just natural recovery? Whatever the reason, this is a most heartening development and it gives me some confidence that no lasting damage has been done and that I might even be able to sing again, with the bonus of real lung capacity - the thing that held me back in recent years. So here's to being able to sing along to some Christmas carols in due course!
Still alive and kicking
5 years ago
Your tone will return with practice in time. Tone is more about breath support than the vocal chords. The tone you're used to having would have been based on your former lack of breath support. Now that you'll really be able to flex those golden pipes (be genle at first though), you'll find your tone will be capable of much, much more. So wassail as you will, Will.
ReplyDeleteGood to hear about the voice. Caroling is so much fun!
But did you have your hair cut???
ReplyDeleteI'm happy today because I passed my horrible physical chemistry (thermodynamics & kinetics)exam with flying colours - yeeeah! So not only are you feeling well and about to go off cycling around lovely, flat Cambridge but the Open University continues to push late starters like me through a degree up and down the land! What a fine day
Brilliant to hear your voice is improved, it must be wonderful to know that you will sing again, let alone be able to have a decent conversation. Once again, yeeeah!
Keep up the healing and happiness, Will - and Vicky! It's all gone a bit quiet from Mrs Will - how are you doing now your husband is so well??!! Wondering where the peace and quite went? ;o)
A x
"Now I can speak completely fine and almost sing - the range is pretty much there, just the tone leaves something to be desired" ... welcome to my world. I remember Jeremy saying when he was in the KS that they had steroids to get their voices back quickly so I presume that boost has been a big help. Good to hear about the voice tho, good times.
ReplyDeleteHave fun